New Eastsound Electronics store opens in Eastsound

Owner Kyle Koepke and his employee Alex McDougall in front of the new store.

New Eastsound Electronics has sprung open for business and is ready to keep islanders streaming, surfing, texting and all-around wired to their hearts’ content.

The shop is owned by former Radio Shack manager Kyle Koepcke, who said the personal electronics store will carry many of the items previously offered by the now defunct store.

“We know what sold all the time,” said Koepcke. “I feel great about it. We’re in a smaller store by a long shot; the overhead is one-tenth of what RadioShack’s overhead was, and I’m very good at what I do.”

He will be joined by another former Radio Shack employee, Alex McDougall, a graduate of ITT Technical Institute with several years of experience in computer programming, diagnostics and repair and whom he calls “a brilliant brilliant computer person.”

The new store’s wares include audio-video cables, charging systems for cell phones, batteries of all types, iPods and iPod accessories, computer products like modems, routers, cabling, webcams, home phones and accessories, and soon cell phones.

Koepcke said the number one thing he’s doing differently from his former employer is lowering his prices.

The store is not a Radio Shack franchise, and so Koepcke said he is free to purchase his inventory from other sources, allowing him to shop around more.

Koepcke and McDougall also plan to offer computer repair and home installations for theater systems and more.

Koepcke has lived on Orcas for nine years, and worked at the Eastsound video store and Lacrimedics before managing Radio Shack.

“I’m very good at customer service,” said Koepcke. “I’m able to fulfill the needs of people and keep them happy.”

He said the store is able to offer comparable prices to big-box retailers like Costco, saying, “Before you run off island for something, stop by and give us a shot, and let us try to fulfill your needs.”

Eastsound Electronics is located at 374 North Beach Road, in the space recently vacated by children’s consignment store Cherry T’s and next door to Wildlife Cycles. It will be open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. For more information, call 376-6966.